Powder Review: Armada ARW 100
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In a nutshell
The Armada ARW 100 is a fun, versatile ski that feels at home in soft snow, on groomers, and in varied terrain.
Length Skied: 179 cm
Weight: 1731 g
Stated Dimensions: 128-100-120 mm
Stated Sidecut: 18 m
Recommended Mount Point: -5 cm (Freestyle) or -7.5 cm (Factory)
The Armada ARW 100 is available now.
Intro
Armada says the all-new ARW 100 (or ARV 100, which has the same construction but different graphics) pairs a 100 mm waist with rockered tips and tails to “feel at home everywhere on the hill.” This do-it-all ski is targeted at skiers who might want to hit the park but also rail groomers and slay pow, according to the brand. These are some big claims but we found them to be pretty accurate.
Length and Mount Point
At 5’5”, I’m usually on skis in the 169-175 cm length range, but I sometimes like to dabble in longer skis for the added stability. I wanted to compare the Armada ARW 100 to the Atomic Bent 100, which I skied in a 180 cm, so I took out the 179 cm ARW 100. I also used the freestyle or -5 cm mount point on the ARW 100, same as the Bent 100. Although a quick look at the stats made me think the two skis were nearly identical, their subtly different shapes and rocker profiles meant they did not behave the same way on snow.
Where does the Armada ARW 100 shine?
I skied the ARW 100 on days that showed off a nice range of Rocky Mountain spring skiing: refrozen groomer crud, slush, chopped up soft snow, and surprising stashes of freshies.
I immediately noticed how nimble the ARW 100 was, whether I was skiing through trees or down mogul lines. Quick pivots and shut-down turns were easy. I had a chance to ski the ARW 100 and the Armada ARV 116 JJ UL back to back and while those two models are intended for very different purposes, they shared some characteristics, both rewarding a centered stance and offering an intuitive ride.
This isn’t a ski that I would describe as a “plow”; leave that to heavier, stiffer, more directional skis that are happier smashing through snow than maneuvering on top of it. For comparison’s sake, I found that the Atomic Bent 100 did a better job of smoothing out inconsistent snow than the ARW 100 did, but the ARW 100 felt less cumbersome in tighter terrain. Even though I sized up on the ARW 100, I didn’t notice the additional length as much as I did when skiing the Bent 100.
The ARW 100 was poppy and easy to jump, taking only a little bit of input to get airborne and offering a balanced platform to land on. It had plenty of suspension for a ski that weighs under 1800 grams and never felt dull or harsh when returning to earth.
In a steep bowl filled with an unexpected wealth of leftover powder, I was really impressed by the ARW 100’s ability to float and pivot in deep snow, given its width. Thanks to its versatility, this is a good option for a park skier who wants to bop around all over the mountain, or a beginner looking for an intuitive, predictable ski for a range of snow conditions.
Where does the Armada ARW 100 make some compromises?
The ARW 100 is not the ski that you’d grab if all you want to do is rip perfect GS turns on icy groomers–carving purists should look elsewhere for that. The ARW 100 has a slightly lower speed limit than the Bent 100 for more directional, heavier skis, and you have to stay more on your game to drive this ski in chunder. A skier who likes to drive aggressively in a forward stance but still wants a ski that manages variable snow might consider a Faction Dancer 2X or Volkl Secret 102.
What would a perfect day on the Armada ARW 100 look like?
You’re skiing sunny resort laps a few days after a good storm, and even though you’re having tons of fun on groomers, in the park, and on side hits, you can’t help but venture off the piste to find those last islands of powder. Your ARW 100s are happy to float and wiggle through trees and over bumps to reach those stashes.
